Linear lichen nitidus with onychodystrophy in a child

Abstract

Lichen nitidus is a common dermatosis described classically as shiny, skin-colored, nonfollicular, flat-topped papules. A number of variants have been described in literature including localized, generalized, actinic, vesicular, perforating, hemorrhagic, palmar/plantar, purpuric, and linear forms. Here, we report an unusual case of linear lichen nitidus in an 11-year-old boy mimicking lichen striatus along the left thumb with isolated nail involvement of the affected digit. Nail involvement in lichen nitidus is very rare; there are only seven cases of lichen nitidus associated nail changes reported in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such case reported from India.

Keywords

• Lichen nitidus
• linear lichen nitidus
• onychodystrophy